Ramzan Kadyrov

head of Chechnya

“The U.S. claims that its armed forces are fighting terrorism and drug trafficking in that country (Afghanistan). But UN data says otherwise. Since the beginning of this year alone, around 400 civilians have died through the fault of the U.S. troops and the forces of official Kabul enlisted by them. That is significantly more than the deaths at the hands of the Taliban, to whom were attributed 227 victims.”

The latest UN report on Afghanistan shows an overall increase in civilian casualties by pro-government forces. However, attributing all the civilian deaths at the hands of pro-government forces to the U.S. military is wrong. U.S. forces are part of an international coalition of 39 nations.

Alexander Brod

Member of the Presidential Human Rights Council

“These [Freedom House] reports are politically motivated and are used as an additional element of pressure on the country … they made a bogeyman out of Russia and constantly throw in negative information.”

Russian officials label reports by independent watchdog groups as politically motivated. But Freedom House’s report finds a steady decline in freedom around the world over the last 13 years, and raises the alarm particularly about threats to democracy in the United States.

Semyon Bagdasarov

Director, Center for Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies

“Objectively, for the Americans contacts with ISIL are more interesting… – for spreading sabotage actions beyond the pales of Afghanistan. On the border with Turkmenistan there is a major offensive is being cooked by Islamic State and allied groups. That is where they may surface.”

The Afghan Special Forces confirmed they conducted the operation arresting Islamic State members and transferring them under the Afghan National Directorate of Security control. The U.S. was not involved.

Russian Foreign Ministry Information and Press Department

Press department of the Russian Foreign Ministry

“… the recent statement made by the Taliban about the targeted raid by the US special task force to capture a Taliban prison in the Afghan province of Badghis…All of the militants were moved by the special task force to an unknown destination…suggests that the US might have been trying to prevent a leak of information regarding what the ISIS members could reveal about their real sponsors.”

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

A screen capture of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Twitter page.

“We drew attention to information about the growing number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan as a result of the actions of foreign troops. A recent example is the airstrike by international forces in Garmsir district, Helmand province, which killed 23 civilians and injured 3 others. According to preliminary data, eight women and 10 children were among the victims.”

With U.S. Air Force statistics showing the U.S. has dropped more bombs on Afghanistan than at any point since 2006, the civilian causalty count from airstrikes is growing. But it remains unclear if the total number of civilians killed and injured by actions of international forces is rising.

Semyon Slepakov

Russian TV Comedy host and singer

“Russia is ready to host the World Cup. The stadiums are open. The cops are polyglots. That is a quick recap of many years of work.We're not going to lose face in front of the planet. It’s not for nothing we terrified [the planet] with a missile. In general, all is well. But there is only one “but”: Our team, frankly, is sh-t.”

Namal Rajapaksa

Sri Lankan politician

Emirates Air #Moscow informs I won’t make my Houston Flight as #US Officials instruct them to not let me board. Valid reason yet to be received. US has the Sovereign right of course. Sure it has nothing to do with my name, being part of #lka opposition or my travel from #Russia (winking emoji)

U.S. Border Control officials confirmed that Namal Rajapaksa had no valid visa to enter the United States. Rajapaksa's passport was reportedly impounded by his own government due to an ongoing criminal case for money laundering in Sri Lanka.

The U.S. is fighting against Islamic State, not using it. Washington is also cooperating with Central Asian states to enhance security for the region -- including Russia -- despite Moscow’s objection to such security cooperation and its destabilizing military actions along its own periphery.

Yuri Shvytkin

Deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma’s defense committee

“Today, unfortunately, it can be noted that the United States is trying to establish a loyal regime [in Afghanistan] under the pretext of fighting terrorism. Our country takes the position that the United States (should) withdraw its troops from Afghanistan; the legitimately elected government of Afghanistan takes principally the same position. U.S. success in the fight against terrorism, especially in Afghanistan, is not particularly discernible.”

Мikhail Aleksandrov

Expert with the Center for Military and Political Research, MGIMO

“U.S. actions in Afghanistan are destabilizing, harmful to neighboring countries but above all to Afghanistan itself… ISIS was created by the United States to solve geopolitical problems in the Middle East, [but] now they see it’s not working there and are preparing to move ISIS to Central Asia.”